?An archaeologist?s life is not always as exciting [as Indiana Jones],? Patrick E. McGovern, Ph.D. affirms with a laugh. ?It?s labor-intensive.? He?s the Scientific Director of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology?s Biomolecular Archaeology Laboratory for Cuisine, Fermented Beverages, and Health. McGovern?s wide-ranging academic background includes a Bachelor?s degree in Chemistry from Cornell University, neurochemistry graduate work at the University of Rochester, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Near Eastern Archaeology and Literature from Penn. His perfect concoction of credentials, personality, and passion make him approachable and engaging to everyone, including beer lovers.
As two keywords in the Penn lab?s name indicates, McGovern knows a few things about the importance of alcohol. In Uncorking the Past: The Quest for Wine, Beer, and Other Alcoholic Beverages ? an archaeological account spiced with historical records and a hint of memoir ? he wrote, ?Wherever we look?we see that the principal way to communicate with the gods or the ancestors involves an alcoholic beverage, whether it is the wine of the Eucharist, the beer presented to the Sumerian goddess Ninkasi, the mead of Vikings, or the elixir of an Amazonian or African tribe.? Alcohol?s significance doesn?t end there, according to the archaeologist, as it also influences humanity?s social growth. Drinking together is a basic human activity that, in addition to sustainment, leads civilizations to cultivate the land. Social desire also acts a powerful motivator for other tasks. ?Imagine,? McGovern suggests to me, ?The monumental achievements we?d lack without beer.? For example, survival and the daily promise of a refreshing beverage often encouraged Egyptian slaves to complete their work constructing the pyramids.
The fact that McGovern understands alcohol?s noteworthiness isn?t the only reason beer enthusiasts should feel a kinship with him. If they sample some of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Inc.?s Ancient Ales series, then they?re also at an intersection between the past and present. McGovern works with the Delaware-based company to examine, recreate, and adapt brewing techniques to bring a bygone experience to the modern beer bottle. These successful collaborations have led to the title that the archaeologist expected least in his career. Don Russell, in his Joe Sixpack columns, dubbed McGovern the ?Indiana Jones of Ancient Ales, Wines, and Extreme Beverages.? The academic?s upbeat and proud demeanor lacks any disdain for his career?s comparison to a pulp fiction throwback character, but it?s not a role he always pursued.